The effects of a variety of toxic elements on humans and on plant and animal species of direct importance to human existence have been the subject of study in the School at both the population and organism, as well as at the cellular and molecular levels. By studying cell matrix interaction during tumor formation and metasis, a new cell surface receptor hyaluronan binding protein has been cloned. Effort is being made to use this cloneDNA as prognostic tumor marker carcinoma. Heavy metal toxicity and chemically induced carcinogenesis have been studied at sub optimal level on animal and cell culture system in order to relate the bio conversion and biodegradation of pollutants with toxicity development. Work is also in proggess-on the sensitivity of plants to environmental pollutants, and UV radiation effect on biological systems. Many studies are also focused on host - parasite interaction using Entamoeba histolytica as a model.Cloned DNA fragments from Entamoeba histolytic has been developed as a probe to carry out epidemiological and diagnosis of amoebiasis. Ecosystem dynamics and function are evaluated at individual, population and community levels;interacting sets of ecosystems (landscape) are also being evaluated from the point of view of evolving sustainablelandscape management strategies. In this effort, strategies for rehabilitation of degraded rural landscape isemphasized. These studies relate to understanding ecosystem stability and resilience. Linking up ecological processes with social processes at ecosystem and landscape levels is of particular interest. Studies on above and below-ground biodiversity management, maintenance of soil fertility through an understaining of soil biological processes at ecosystem and landscape levels and sustainable livelihood/development of traditional societies areare as where considerable work has been done and is in progress. Many of these studies relate to a variety of issues in the context of global change and terrestrial ecosystem function. Much of the work on these studies is being done through networking - involving young scientists, governmental agencies and non-governmental voluntary agencies spread over the country. These studies, being implemented to meet the specific national needs, form part of many international research programmes of non-governmental and inte-rgovernmental organisations.
Area IV Faculty
